Target-throwing trap



Jan, 1, 1924 1,479,290 R. s. ELLIOTT TARGET THROWING TRAP Filed A1121.24. 1921 Patented Jan. 1, 1924.

I Wazaa Parana goei-rica BIO-BERT S. ELLIOTQVOF KANSAS C-ITY, MISSURI.

TARGET-THROWING TRAP.

Application led August 24, 19721. Serial No. 494,813.

To @l/whom t may concern:

Be 1t known that I, ROBERT S. 'ELmoTn a citizen of the United States,residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Target- ThrowingTraps,'of which the following is a complete specification.

This invention relates to target throwing traps. The most efficienttarget trap in use is open to objection in that the tablej must beoscillated to direct the targets at dilferent angles, by the boy whofeeds the targets to the trap. Theroscillation of the Another objectionto such traps is that` there is about an eight or ten per cent breakageof targets by the impact of the throwingarm on the target, due to thefact that the boy, in feeding the trap, does not always exercise suchcare as to insure the retention of the target in contact with thethrowing arm until the operation of the latter begins. This trouble is,of course, greater than would be the case if the boy was relieved of theduty.of oscillating the tra lll/)Iy object, therefore, is to produce atarget trap which will throw singles and doubles eiiciently but which isnot open to the objections above enumerated. .In other words, my objectis to produce a trap which is eiicient in throwing the target; in Ywhich breakage by the trap will be almost obviated; and which will makedoping of the target practically impossible. More specifically, mvobject is to produce a tra-p by which target canbe thrown at any anglebetween extreme lefts and rights from a stationary table, and by whichdoubles can be thrown with the same facility as singles, and in whichthe targets are yieldingly held where set by the attendant regardless ofthe table. Y

With the objects mentioned in view the inventionv consists in certainnovel and useful features of construction and combinations of parts ashereinafter described and claimed;'and in order that it may be fullyunderstood, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, inwhich:i Figure l is a side elevation of a conventional. trap, with `the pedalattachment pitch or inclination of omitted, a new table and the targetholding equipment in place. v v 1 Y VVFfgure 2 is a top plan view ofthesame. e

Figure 3 is a cross rvsection on the line -In carrying out the inventionI have found that one of the common and well knowntraps can be employedwith excellent result by-leaving off the pedal feature and by providingthe trap with either a new table or an extension for'theold table and byequipping the trap with a retainer whereby the target or targets shallbe yieldingly held in operative engagement with the throwing arm, whenplaced in position by the boy. Y y

Referring now to the drawing in detail, l indicates the base of thetrap, anchored as shown or otherwise to a suitable foundation, and 2 isan angle frame pivoted at 3 on the base 1, and in order to secureY theangle Vvframe at the desired angle or 'inclination for insuring thedirection ofthe target at the desired trajectory, the angle frame isprovided at its rear end withabolt I AeX- tending through a segmentalslot 5 in the base, and a clamping nut 6 engages the bolt to secure theframe rigidly at the desiredpoint ofv adjustment. Y, Y

Rigidly securedto the upper part ofthe angle frame in any suitablemanner, is a table 7, the same being made stationary instead ofrotatableasin the usual trap. Because of this fact Athe table -is made somewhatlarger than the usual table to constitute ,a guide for the targetsthrown to the right, afterthey leave or become disengaged from thethrowing arm, and to guard against any chance of the tilting and henceimperfect flight of the target as itleaves the table, the front edgeofthe latter extends substantially at right angles to the line of flightof the target when traveling in a direction centrally7 between the twoextreme lines of flight to the left and to the right.

Mounted npon ythe table so as to oscillate across the face thereoiF isthe throwing arm 9, the same being` pivoted to4 the front end or' theangle frame 2, and at the lower end of the pivot there is a crank 10connected by a retractile spring 11 to a swing arm 12 depending fromsaid frame. The lower end of the swing arm`1'2 and the rear end or" saidspring are linked to the trap springing rod'l Awhich is operated in thecustom- 'ary manner for the .purpose of imparting the throwing movementto the throwing arm, and the latter returned to its initial position bythe torsional spring 1i, when the pull on the rod 13 is relaxed.

rlhel throwing arm is providedV with a rubber "strip 15 for engagementwith the target 16 as yshown most clearly by Figures 2 and 3,' thetarget resting iiatly upon the table and secured to the latter aresegmental stops 16"L Yand 17, which serve, in the case of a singletarget, as indica-tors to dene the limits of thenmovemlen't of thetarget with reference tothe fiilcrum or pivot Jfor the arm 9. YVhen vatarget is placed against the stop 16a, it will be Vso positioned as tobe thrown to the extreme left and, when placed against the stop 17,v itwill be so positioned as to be thrown tothe eXtreme right. YWhen atarget is placed centrally between the stops 1,6a and 175 itwill bethrown directly forward. As itis moved from such central position towardthe stop 16a A(and toward the pivot or fulcrum of the arm 9) it will be'thrown to theleft,V the amount ot its detlection toward the leftincreasing as it approaches such stopan'd p ivot or Julcrum. As it ismoved from such central position toward the stop 17 (and away from thepivot or fu'lc'r'um of the arm 9*) it will be thrown to the right, andthe` amount of its deflection toward the right will increase as itapproaches such stop and recedes from such fulcru'rn or pivot. In otherwords, the arm 9, when in its'latched position preparatory to throwing,provides an extended seat between the 'stops or indicators 16a and 17against which a target on the `table may| be placed at varying distancesfrom the fulci'um or pivot of such arm; and the target, according toitsposition on such arm and its distance from such ulcrum or pivot, will bethrown to' the'l extreme right, tothe eX- treme lett, or in anydirection intermediate such extremes. Furthermore, by using stops for.the indicators, a pair ot targets vmay, be placed therebetween and`seated against the arm, withtheir proximate portions in contactrasindicated in Fig'. 2f, When'a sta-- tiona'ry table isv used to`accomplish 'these results',j it is advisablel to provide means ftoyiel'dii'igly hold ythe target against the its travel.

`at a suiiiciently high angle to counteract the eiiect of a windtraveling in the same direction as the target, as otherwise the windtends to flatten out the target and shorten To accomplish the twopurposes mentioned, a clamp or retainer is secured t0 the table andadapted for V'pressing lightly upon the upper face oithevtarget ortargets.` The preferred means ,i'or accomplishing this purpose comprisesavslreleton vor U- shaped frame 18, mounted upon a.l block 19 bolted asat 20 to lthe table the frame overlying the block and throwing arm andvhaving a depending iiange 21 iitting againstthe outer edge vot the blockand mounted loosely! upon a pair of bolts' 22 projecting from the block.The bolts `carry lnuts 23 and lock nuts 24, and springs 25 areInountedonthe bolts and interposed between the nuts 23 and the flange 21of the retainer to hold the same clearly by Figure 3, sothat'the'frame'lor retainer shall clamp the targets lightly upon the'table and retain them in engagement wit-h the rubber strip ofthethrowing arm for a suiiicient length ot'v time to insure `yieldingly inthe position indicated most proper rotation of the target as the latter,

undervthe throwing movement of said arm, rolls outward upon they stripwhile being bodily swung around by the arm.

It will be apparent that the retainer will hold the target againstaccidental movement wherever placed, that is whether in contact with oneof the Stops 16a- 47, or at any point between the same, and that theconnection of the retainer with the blocl'permits the clamping edge ofthe former suilicient vertical play to accommodate targets ot slightlydiiierent thickness. Y

A common type oiu trigger mechanism is employed to hold the throwing armin cocked position as shown, and to release it for operation, saidmechanism comprising a latch-bolt 26 held yieldingly-elevatcd by aspring V(not shown) and a trigger 27 pivoted to traine Q andv adapted tohave its depending arm Q8 struck by the yolre 12 when'the rod 18 ispulled rearwardly kto operate the trap the trigger being connected in awell-known manner to withdraw the latch-bolt from the path of thethrowing arm to permit the latter to operate. Upon the return of the armas hereinafter eX- plained,. it depresses the latch-bolt and as itpasses this latter is yieldingly reelevated to its original'. positionto hold the arm in cocl'red position :inl operation, VKa boy-V sittingunder the customaryr low shed beneath which lthe trap is stationed,places a single target or a pair of targets on the trap, shoving thetarget or targets under the retainer. In so doing, vdue to, theproportion and arrangement of the parts, each target isdisposed againstthe rubber strip of the throwing arm and-hence will be guarded againstsuch impact as might fracture the target or targets. It will also benoted that as the retainer holds the target securely, the boy is notrequired to exercise any particular care in placing single targets at aparticular point with respect to the stops 16a- 17. For this reason, thedirection in which targets are likely to be thrown, cannot be determinedby the shooter, and the trap aords the fairest test of marksmanship.

As the rod 13 is pulled back as customary, the spring l1 is tensionedand yoke l2 swung rearwardly, said yoke by striking the trigger 2? andwithdrawing the latch-bolt 26 from the path of the throwing arm so thatthe tensioned spring l1 may operate the arm to throw the target ortargets, this movement of the arm tensioning spring 14 so that-.it shallreturn the arm to operative position. As this is accomplished, thelatchbolt automatically engages and holds the arm until the next pull isapplied on rod 13. As the trigger mechanism is of common and well-knownconstruction andoperation, its construction is not illustrated fully orin detail, and no claim is made to it.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced atra-p throwing target which embodies the features of advantage set forthas desirable in the statement of the objects of the invention, and whilel have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of the same,it will be apparent that it is susceptible of modification in variousparticulars without departing from the principle of construction andmode of operation involved.

I claim:

l. A target throwing trap comprising a table, a throwing arm arranged tosweep across the face of the table, means for latching the said arm inthe same initial posil `f tion preliminary to its throwing operations,

and means carried by the table and projecting forwardly above said arm,when the latter is in said initial position, for retaining one or moretargets against said arm.

2. A target throwing trap comprising a table. a throwing arm arranged tosweep across the face of said table,means for latching the said arm inthe same initial position preliminary to the throwing operation, andyieldable means carried by the table and projecting forwardly above saidarm, when the latter is in said initial position, for'lightly clampingone or more targets against said arm.

3. A target throwing trap, comprising a pivoted frame pitched at aslight angleupwardly and forwardly from its point of support,y astationary table carried by and projecting forwardly and laterally fromthe said frame, a throwing arm pivoted-,to said frame and constituting,while in its initial.

positionand prior to its throwing movement, -aseat on which a target onsaid table may be placed at varying distances from Y the fulcrum orpivot of suchV arm, and means to latch the said arm in the said initialposition preliminarily to the throwing operations thereof.l

4. In a target throwing trap, an upwardlyv and forwardly inclinedstationary table upon the rear part of which a target is c adapted torest flatly, a retainer carried by the table and overlying andV spacedtherefrom and capable of slight vertical movement, yielding meansAtending to clamp the retainer lightly upon the target, and an arm, v

for sweeping across the table to disengage the target from the retainerand project the former into space.

5. A target throwing trapcomprising a pivoted frame pitched at a slightangle upwardly and forwardly from its point of Y support, a stationarytable carried by and projecting forwardly and laterally from said frame,and a throwing arm pivoted to said frame and constituting, saine initialposition and prior to its throwing movement, a seat on which a target onsaid table may be placed at varying dis` i llatched throwing position, aseat for both such targets so interposed between such while in theV`stops as well as a seat on which a single target may be placed againstor between said stops and at varying distances from the fulcrum or pivotof such arm.

7. A target throwing trap, comprising a pivoted yframe pitched at aslight angle upwardly and forwardly from its point of support, astationarytable carried by and projecting forwardly and laterally fromthe said frame, a throwing arm for sweeping across the table forthrowing targets therefrom at different points along the front edgethereof, and means carried by the table for holding one or more targetson the table and against the throwing arm duringy the initial portion ofthe throwing movement of the latter and at varying distances from thefulcrum or pivot of such arm.

8. A target throwing trap comprising a traine, a table rigid therewith,a yieidingiydepressed retainer carried by and overlapping the table tohold thereon one or more 5 targets, a throwing arm, and means forlatehing said arm iny an initial position underlying the retainer andback of the free or overlapping edge thereof, whereby engagement Withtheretainer and forwardly upon and off the table.

In Witness whereof I hereunto aix my signature. Y

ROBERT S. ELLIOTT.

